Metallic car door



xpm 2, MAMAN y 203,052

' l METALLIC CAR DOOR Filed 'sept'.v 15, 1955 anun:

Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNirED STATES PATENT OFFIQE METALLIC C'AR DOOR Company, Cleveland,

Ohio

Ohio, a corporation of Application September 13, 1933, Serial No. 689,170

9 Claims.

This invention relates to metallic car doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide metallic car doors adapted for sliding movement of such construction as to incorporate a ball runway along a horizontal margin thereof.

A further object resides in the provision of a sliding metallic door, the construction of which presents a ball runway disposed within the edges of the door.

A further object resides in a sliding metallic door constructed to provide a ball runway While excluding entry of the elements between the parts of said construction.

A further object is to provide a sliding metallic door having a horizontal corrugation adjacent the lower edge of said door constructed to include a ball runway.

y,Other objects will become clear as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the drawing forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a metallic car door embodying the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged detail of the construction taken at the lower rear corner thereof;

Figure 4 is a vertical section similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the novel door I!) is illustrated mounted upon a railway freight car side, a portion of which is indicated at Il, in position to close a door opening I2 pro-vided on said car side. The door I0 is supported for longitudinal movement relative to the car side upon a track I3 supported by a plurality of track brackets I4, one of which is indicated partially in Figure 2 of the drawing seriotv cured to a side sill (not shown) customarily em- 2T the vertical corrugations II and I8, is also provided adjacent the lower horizontal edge of the door. In the instant embodiment of the invention this horizontal corrugation I9 is formed by the association of a portion of the metallic panel I and a substantially coi-extensive relatively sturdy member preferably in the form of a rolled section. The lower margin of the metallic panel I5 is bent outwardly as indicated at 20 so as to provide the outwardly and downwardly extending ange 2l. The flange 2| is secured in overlapping relationship to a head flange 22 formed on a substantially T-shaped rolled section 23. The other head flange 24 provides substantially a continuation of the flange 2| provided on the sheet metal panel. The arrangement of the T-member 23 is such that the stem 25 thereof is directed downwardly and inwardly with respect to the .door panel I5 and adjacent its free end is bent so as to provide a downwardly extending vertical flange 26. The flange 26 is secured as by means of riveting to a backing plate 21, the upper margin of which is fastened to the metallic panel I5 in a well known manner. It will be observed from Figure 2 of the drawing that the backing plate and a vertical flange 26 and the T-member 23 are extended so as to o-verlap the track I3, thereby preventing outward movement of the door to such an extent as to permit disengagement of the lower portion of the door from the track.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description of the structure adjacent the lower margin of the door I0 that the panel flange 2 I, by reason of its overlapping engagement with the head flange 22, precludes the entry of weather between said flanges and that together with said head flange and the stem of the T-member 23 presents a stiffening corrugation adjacent the lower margin of the door.

In addition to the foregoing the association of these parts with the backing plate 2l provides a tubular reinforcement for the lower margin of the door. The disposition of the T-member 23 is such that the head flange 24 co-acts with the stern 25 to present a substantially inverted V-shaped runway 28 within which a plurality of balls 29 are seated. These balls are adapted to be supported upon the track I3 and provide antifriction means directly supporting the door for easy movement to and from closed position. The balls 29 are maintained in proper spaced relationship by means of a ball spacer 39. The head iiange 24 of the T-member 23, additionally, serves to provide an attaching portion for the reinforcing corner gusset members 3l and 32, each of which is provided with a downwardly extending flange 33, lying upon the outside of the track I3 in overlapping engagement therewith so as to prevent undue movement of the Idoor toward the car side.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing. In this form of the invention the metallic panel I5 is bent outwardly to provide a flange 34 which in turn is bent downwardly so as to provide a flange 35. The flange 35 is disposed outwardly in overlapping relationship to vertical flanges 3@ and 3l provided on the relatively sturdy angular members 38 and 39. The angular member 33 is substantially Z-shaped in section, the web 4G thereof being disposed in a downwardly and inwardly inclined direction relative to the panel and the other flange 4l being arranged substantially vertically for securement to a backing plate 42. The angular member 39 is provided with an outwardly and downwardly extending flange 43 which, as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, is associated with the web 40 so as to provide a substantially inverted V-shaped runway 44 upon the door. The vertical ilange 4I, together with the backing plate 42, overlaps the track I3 so as to prevent disengagement of the lower portion of the door therefrom. Excessive inward movement of the door relative to the track is prevented by means of a flange 45 formed on corner gusset members such as 46, one of which is secured to each of the lower corners of the door by attachment to the vertical margins of the door and to the flange 43 of the angle member 39. A plurality of balls 41 are utilized in order to support the door for antifrictional movement upon the track as in the previously described embodiment of the invention, said balls being maintained in proper spaced relationship by means of a ball spacer, such as 30.

It will be apparent that in both embodiments of the invention the relatively sturdy angular members co-act in such manner with the sheet metal panel of the door as to enter intimately into the construction of the door while providing a ball runway along the lower horizontal margin thereof by means of which the door may be supported upon the balls in its travel upon the car side.

It will also be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. A door of the character described comp-rising a panel of sheet metal, the lower margin of said panel being flanged outwardly and downwardly from the main plane thereof, a T-member disposed with one of its head flanges underlying said panel flange and secured thereto, the other head flange and the stem of said T-member being disposed to provide a substantially inverted V- shaped ball runway, said stem extending inwardly and downwardly from the head of the T-member and being deformed to provide a flange lying substantially in the main plane of said panel and a backing plate secured to said latter flange and said panel above said panel flange.

2. A car door comprising a sheet metal panel, a reinforcing corrugation provided along the lower margin of said door, said corrugation comprising a flange extending downwardly and outwardly from the main plane of said panel and a T- member disposed with one of its head flanges' underlying and secured to said first mentioned flange, said flanges forming one wall of said corrugation, the stem of said T-member being directed inwardly and downwardly and forming the other wall of said corrugation, the other head flange and said corrugation defining a downwardly opening ball runway.

3. A car door of the character described comprising a horizontally extending tubular reinforcement provided along the lower margin of said door and a flange extending downwardly and outwardly in angular relationship to said tubular reinforcement, said flange and said reinforcement defining a ball runway for said door.

4. A car door comprising a sheet metal panel, a reinforcing corrugation provided along the lower margin of said door, said corrugation comprising a downwardly and inwardly directed wall, and a downwardly and outwardly extending flange provided on said door cooperating with said wall to provide a ball runway for the door.

5. A car door comprising a sheet metal panel, a reinforcing corrugation provided along the lower margin of said door, said corrugation including a relatively sturdy member secured to said door having an inwardly and downwardly directed flange and a flange provided on said door cooperating with said inwardly and downwardly directed flange to constitute a ball runway for the door.

6. A door of the character described comprising a metallic panel, the lower margin of said panel being bent outwardly, a member secured to said door and cooperating with said outwardly bent portion of said panel to provide a corrugation and means carried by said door and associated with said corrugation to provide a ball runway for said door.

'7. A car door comprising a sheet metal panel, a reinforcing corrugation provided along the lower margin of said door, said corrugation having vertically spaced horizontally extending sides disposed in angular relationship to said metallic panel and a downwardly and outwardly extending flange provided on said door cooperating with the lowermost of said sides to provide a ball runway.

8. A door of the character described comprising a metallic panel, the lower margin of said panel being bent outwardly, a metallic member secured to said outwardly bent portion of said panel, said member having a portion extending inwardly from said outwardly bent panel portion to substantially the plane of said panel and means carried by said door cooperating with said portion of said metallic member to provide a ball runway for said door.

9. A door of the character described comprising a metallic panel, the lower margin of said panel being bent outwardly, a metallic member secured to said outwardly bent portion of said panel, said member having a portion extending downwardly and inwardly from said outwardly bent panel portion to substantially the plane of said panel, and means carried by said door cooperating with said portion of said metallic member to provide a substantially inverted V-shaped ball runway for said door.

GABRIEL MADLAND. 

